Lifeboat holding and launching mechanism



1 2 9 7 G. .w. P. OVERMAN LIFEBQAT HOLDING AND LAUNCHING MECHANISM 5 "Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 6. 1925 l 1927. Y y G. w. P. OVER'MAN IFBBQ AT HOLDING AND LAUNGHING uscmxmsm Filed Oct. 6. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 2 9 7 G. w. P. OVERMAN LIFEBOAT HOLDING AND LAUNCHING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 6. 925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 12,

- 1,635,860 G. w. P. OVERMAN LIFEBOAT HOLDING AND LAUNCHING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 6. 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 4 gr-mentor a 1 M 927 -G. w. P. OVERMAN LIFEBOAT HOLDING AND LAUNCHING MECHANISM Fild Oct. 6. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. PM OVIBMAN, OF 'NQRFOLK, VIRGINIA.

' I 1 LII-1 :30am nommie AND LAUNCHING MECHANISM.

Application and October The invention relates to means fori'holding lifehoats on the decks of ships and for releasing the boats quickly and expeditiously for launching from the ship.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a novel means for holding the bilge and keel of the boat on the chocks, and for releasing the boat from the chocks.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means controlled by the meansfor holding the boat on the chocks and releasing it therefrom by which the gripe hooks which engage the sides of the boat are securely held while the boat is on the chocks and all of said gripe hooks are simultaneously re leased when the boat is released from the chocks.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means controlled by the boat-releasing means by which the boat cover is securely held in place on the boat while the boat is on the chocks, the means for holding the cover bein released simultaneously with the boat-releasingmeans to enable removal of the cover preliminary to launching. A further object of, the invention is the provision of a boat holding and launching device operated simultaneously with a cover holding and releasing device so ar-' ranged that a single man is neededto release the boat for launching in contradistinction to the means ordinarily employed requiring a pluralityof operators for expeditious launching of the boat in an emergency.

The invention will be, described in detail hereinafter and will be found illustrated in the accompanyin drawings in which 7 Fi e 1 is a side view of, the inboard side of a lifeboat showing the boat held on the chocks,

Figure 2 is a bow and view of the boat on the" chocks, Y t

Figure 3, a transverse sectional view on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a similar view on a plane in dicated by the line 4-4gof Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the holding and releasing mechanism,

Figure 6 is a sectional detail of the keel locking mechanism on a planeindicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 1, showing the keel locked on the checks,

6, 1935. Serial No. 60,825.'

Figure 7 in F igure 6 showing the keel released in the act of'launo'hing the boat,

'Figure 8 is a fragmental detail in plan of the parts shown in Figures 6 and 7, the parts shown in the position of Figure 6, the keelef the boat being omitted,

F gure 9 is a sectional detail on a plane indicated by the line 99 of Figure 1,

Figure 10 is a sectional detail on a plane indicated by the line 10'10 of Figure 5,

Figure 11, a sectional detail on the plane indicated by the line 1111 of Figure 1,

Figure 12, a View in section on a plane indicated by the line 12-12 of Figure 11,

Figure '13, a detail plan view of the parts shown in Figures 11 and 12', I Figure 14, a detail plan View on the plane indicated by the line 14-14 of Figure 1,

Figure 15, a detail view in elevation of the parts shown in Figure 14, s

Figure 16, a sectional detail on a plane inis a view of the same part showncheated by the line 1616 of Figure 15, and

Figure 17, is a detail sectional View on a plan1e indicated by the line 1717 of Figure In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several" views.

The deck of a steamer is indicated at A, and B davits of the usual construction mounted on the steamers deck and having the boat C swung therefrom by means of the tackle D, in the usual manner. v

The chocks 1 to support the boat on the shi s deck are of. the open outboard type,

an 3 provided with a rectangular notch 2130 seat the-keel of the'boat; The keel of the I boat is locked in the notch 2 by means of disks 3 provided with a notch 4'in each of the disks, said notch being as shown arranged above the center of the disk, and said disk is secured to a short shaft 5 "ournaled in a plate 6 secured to the dec b means of an angular extension 7 said shafl? being also journaled by means of an angu lar member 8 having its ends driven into the chocks 1. Each, of the disks 3 is also provided with a gear face 9 that meshes with a gear face 10 on a mutilated disk 11 secured to the o eratin shaft 12.

It wi l be'un erstood that when the partsare in the position shown in Figures 2, 3, and

6 that the'boat keel will be heldi in the notches 2 of the checks 1. By rotation of the shaft 12, by the instrumentalities to be hereinafter described, the disk 3 will be retated into the position shown in Figure 7, and that during such rotation the keel of the boat will be lifted slightly from engagement with the lower wall of the notch 2 and then moved outwardly away from the chocks 1 in a position ready for launching.

Shaft 12 is adapted to be actuated by hand by means of a lever bar 13 secured to one of its ends, usually the forward or how end, and the means for locking the keel on the checks and also for holding the other instrumentalities to be hereinafter described in a holding position, a length of cable is secured to one of the clavits B as shown at 14 and provided with a ring 15 adapted to engage over the end of the lever bar 13 to prevent accidental movement thereof.

The hooks for engaging the side rails of the boat C are designated 15 and each of said hooks has a flexible securing member secured thereto including a turn buckle 16 and a link 17 at its lower end. Each. of said links 17 is adapted to be engaged by a spur hook member 18 pivotally secured between upstanding cars 19 on a plate 20 secured to the ship deck A, and connected by means of a rod 21 with a crank member 22 secured to the shaft 12 by means of set screw 23. Each of the crank members 22 has bifurcated ends 24 between which the ends of the rods 21 are pivoted.

. In Figures 2, 3 and 9, the means for boldm; ing the boat gripe hooks 15 in engagement with the gunwale of the boat are shown in holding position, and in Figure 9 in a broken line position, the spur hooks 18 which secure the deck end of gripe hooks 15 are shown in a releasing position, it being understood that the parts are so arranged relatively to the shaft 12 that when the keel locking mechanism is in a position to lock the keel, as heretofore described, the hooks will also be held in position to securely hold the boat gripe hooks in position to clamp down the boat to chock rest, butwhen the vshaft 12 is rotated to re lease the keel as hereinbefore described, the spur hooks will be moved into the position shown in broken lines in Figure 9 to release the gripe hooks for removal from the boat.

The spur hooks 18 are, as shown clearly in Figure 9, formed with their rear ends, to which the rods 21 are secured, with an extension 25 that seats on the plate 20 when the hooks are in an open position as shown in dotted lines to maintain the pivotal connection between the rods 21 and the spur hooks 18 above the center of the pivot of the spur hooks to insure ready operation of said hooks when they are to be moved into a locking position, or in other words to prevent a dead center between the rods 21 and the pivot of the spur hooks. Also the rods 21 on the outboard side of the shaft 12 are curved or bent downwardly intermediate of their ends to prevent any possibility of the interference of the rods 21 with a successful operation of the boat in releasing and launching it.

The cover holding and releasing device will now be described. The usual boat cover is designated 26 and has an apron 27 extending around the sides of the boat, but open at its ends, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

Secured to the apron 27 on each side of the boat and extending downwardl therefrom, are tabs 28 to each of whic is secured a length of rope 29 having loosely mounted thereon a ring 30, the end of the rope being spliced in eye 38 its opposite end passed through ring 30 and back through eyelet in the tab and tied as indicated in Figure 1 to form a flexible holding means for the sides of the cover. The rings 30 are held in clamping members secured to the deck A and comprising plates 31 having upwardly extending side flanges 32 formed with notches intermediate of their ends as shown at Each of these clamping memhers is mounted directly under the shaft 12, and mounted 011 the shaft 12 by means of split collars 34 are U-shaped members 35 secured to the extended ends of said split collars 34 by means of nuts 36 engaging the threaded ends of said U'shaped members 35,

this structure admitting of adjusting the U-shaped members 35 to properly fui'ictiou in holding the rings 30 in engagement with the clamping members as shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13. The rings 30 are shownin :1 held position in full lines in Figure 11, while in dotted lines in the same figure the U- shaped member is shown in the position assumed by the shaft 12 when the boat is released as hereinbefore described, so that the rings 30 are released from engagen'lent by the clamping members.

As before stated the apron 27 at the ends of the boat is open, and fitted on outboard side of the boat with eyelets 37 and the apron on the other side is provided with slits 38, this being shown more particularly in Figure 2 and also in Figure 15. 39 indicates a rod pivotally secured to a lug 40 on the lever bar 13 and 39 another rod secured to a lug 40 on an arm 41 secured to the shaft 12 at the end remote from the lever bar 13. When the boat .is in a held position on the choeks 1 as shown in the drawings, the rods 39 and 39 are run through links 42 extended through the slits 38, the rods being inside of the apron 27, and a length of rope 43 secured in the upper e elets 37 at each end of the cover is laced.

t rough the links 42 and the lower eyelets 37 and then tied around the upper projecting ends of the rods 39 or 39 as the case may be with half hitches as shown at 44:.

It will be apparent from this structure that when the shaft 12 is rotated as hereinbefore described to release the boat, the rods 39 and 39 will be moved downwardly and their upper ends will disengage the knots 44 and the links 42thus releasing the ends of the cover from the ends of the boat, and the sides of the cover being simultaneously released, as hereinbefore described, the cover may then be easily removed from the boat preliminary to launching.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In a lifeboat holding and releasing device for ships, a boat cover holding and re leasing inechanisn'i comprising brackets adapted to be secured to the ships deck, holding elements secured to said cover and adapted to engage in said brackets, a shaft, arms on said shaft adapted in one position to retain said holding elements in said brackets, other arms on said shaft, rods pivotally secured to the arms, links loosely engaging said rods and extending through slits in the cover, and the ends of the cover secured by means of said links.

2. In a lifeboat holding and releasing device, chocks for supporting a lifeboat and having rectangular notches to receive the keel of the boat, disks journaled on the chocks and having rectangular notches to cooperate with the notches in the chocks to hold the keel and boat on the chocks, and a shaft suitably journaled and geared to said disks to rotate them and release the keel from engagement with the chocks.

3. In a lifeboat holding and releasing device, chocks for supporting a lifeboat and having rectangular notches to receive the keel of the boat, disks journa'led on the chocks and having rectangular notches to cooperate with the notches in the chocks to hold the keel and the boat on the chocks, a shaft suitably journaled, and operative connections between said shaft and the disks to hold the disks in keel engaging positions and to release the keel from the chocks.

4. In a lifeboat holding and releasing device, boat chocks open toward the outward part of a vessel, disks rotatably mounted on the chocks and notched to engage the keel of a lifeboat and hold it on the chocks, a shaft journaled longitudinally of the lifeboat when on the chocks and actuab'le from an end of the boat, said shaft being geared to the disks aforesaid to release the boat from the chocks and move it outwardly thereof.

5. In a lifeboat holding and launching mechanism, an operating shaft adapted to be journaled in lifeboat supporting chocks, means actnable by said shaft to hold and release a lifeboat, crank members on the shaft, rods secured to the crank members, and spur hooks pivotally secured to the rods and adapted to engage boat gripe hooks, said crank members being actuated simultaneously with the boat holding and releasing means to release the gripe books with release of the boat.

6. In a lifeboat holding and launching mechanism, an operatin shaft for holding and releasing a lifeboat arranged longitudinally of the boat when in position on chocks, notched disks arranged to engage the boat keel and hold the boat on the chocks, said shaft being geared to said notched disks, spur hooks adapted to be pivotally mounted on a ships deck and to engage gripe hooks engaging the side rails of the boat, and means operatively connecting said shaft and the spur hooks aforesaid to actuate them simultaneously with said disks to hold and release the gripe hooks.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE W. P. OVERMAN. 

